International report

Compared to some its neighbours, the country of Senegal has so far been spared a major attack by Islamist extremists. In an effort to maintain the status quo, a theatre is being used to combat religious radicalization. Through rhyme, play and education, a theatre troupe’s been touring the greater Dakar suburbs to spread awareness about the dangers of illegal immigration and jihadist recruitment, by putting on street performances as part of an NGO-led campaign. Emmanuelle Landais reports from Dakar.

In Guinea Conakry, female hotel staff and house maids are frequentlyraped or sexually assaulted by either their employers or by customers.

But they remain tight-lipped over the issue for fear that they might lose their jobs.

Now the national secretary-general of the Guinean House Maids and Hotel Workers' Union has raised the alarm and called on female workers to denounce all acts of rape and assault perpetrated against them.

Correspondent Karim Kamara reports from Conakry.

Click the 'play' button above to listen

The conflict in eastern Ukraine has claimed around 13,000 lives, a quarter of them civilians.

That’s according to the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine.

Although Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko called on the UN secretary-general back in February to draw up options for a peacekeeping mission in eastern Ukraine, civilians as well as military personnel continue to be wounded or killed on a daily basis.

With the first round of the presidential elections taking place this weekend, voters in eastern Ukraine are mainly concerned with the on-going conflict in the region and to find a candidate who can finally put an end to it as Filip Warwick reports in this final five-part series.

Since the start of the war in eastern Ukraine in 2014, some 1.5 million people have been internally displaced, fleeing the conflict in the eastern regions. Ukraine is the ninth largest country in the world in terms of the number of internally displaced persons, also known as IDPs.

While their status as IDPs guarantees them certain rights, resettlement status comes with many problems in Ukraine. 

Insufficient support from the state and complicated procedures mean IDPs struggle with a lack of information about their rights and face many socio-economic challenges.

Filip Warwick has more in this fourth report in a five-part series from Kiev.

Click 'Play' to listen to his report.

In 2014 during the conflict in eastern Ukraine a photo of Irina Dovgan appeared in the New York Times. It shows a terrified woman wrapped in a Ukrainian flag while tied to lamppost and forced to endure public beatings.

Tortured by pro-Russian separatist fighters, some who are believed to have travelled from Russia, Irina is one of 1.5 million internally displaced people now living in government controlled territory.

She recounts her traumatic story and explains why she believes a pro-European president would prevent from Ukraine falling into Russia’s sphere of influence

The 2014 Ukrainian Euromaidan revolution, also known as the Revolution of Dignity, saw thousands of people take to the streets denouncing the kleptocratic government of then president Viktor Yanukovych.In this second part of a 5 part series ahead of Ukraine’s presidential elections, Filip Warwick looks at the endemic issue of corruption.

On Sunday March 31st, the first round of the Ukrainian presidential elections will take place with a total of 39 registered candidates. According to elections polls, a popular television comedian and political newcomer, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, is the current front-runner for the presidential seat. In the first of a 5 part series on the elections, Filip Warwick has this report from Kiev.

A long-awaited bill in Tunisia allowing men and women to inherit in equal parts is currently being debated by parliament.

If passed, the proposed new law would make Tunisia the first Arab country to legislate on a taboo question which is said to be regulated in the Quran.

Click on "Play" above to listen to Alessandra Bajec's reports from Tunis.

Today is World Water Day, dedicated each year to drawing attention to the importance of potable water. The theme for this year is 'Leaving no one behind'. But many are being left behind in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country. Even residents of the coastal city of Lagos are struggling to get potable water despite the abundance of water around the city.

The majority of the city’s residents have no government-provided pipe-borne water. The result is that the city’s residents have to provide their own drinking water. Getting potable water sometimes comes at a high cost and many people have to resort to unsafe sources.

Sam Olukoya reports from Lagos. 

Click 'play' above to listen

The Special Olympics World Games is to wrap up today in Abu Dhabi.

As well as a sporting event for intellectually disabled people, it also happens to be the world’s biggest humanitarian event.

The closing ceremony will feature American singer Nicole Scherzinger.

Here’s correspondent Andy May with the third and final report.